Israeli Gaza border towns to boycott government's 7 October commemoration

At least two Israeli kibbutzim have announced that they will boycott the government's plan for a state memorial on the anniversary of the 7 October attack, Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth reports.

Both Be'eri and Kfar Aza were attacked by Hamas fighters in their incursion into Israel, and had several residents taken to Gaza as captives.

The Be'eri kibbutz had reportedly decided to hold its own ceremony even before the government had announced its plans, while Kfar Aza said in a statement that it was "disappointed" by the government's plans while 109 captives remain in Gaza, five of whom are residents of the kibbutz.

Kfar Aza's statement adds that the government should focus on returning the captives and, as far as the memorial is concerned, "make do with lowering the flag to half-staff and standing in attention at the memorial siren, and not produce grandiose events".